Following the first showing of The Flash at CinemaCon, critics shared some strong reactions to the DCU’s next theatrical entry in their first reviews.
Critics Praise The Flash Movie (First Reviews)
Warner Bros. delivered the first screening of DC Studios’ The Flash at CinemaCon 2023, and critics who watched it shared their initial reactions to the new film.
Fandango’s Erik Davis called the movie “tremendous” while praising it as being “among the best superhero films ever made,” leaving the movie “in tears:”
“DC’s ‘The Flash’ is TREMENDOUS! Forget DC, it is without a doubt among the best superhero films ever made. An all-timer. Inventive storytelling, FANTASTIC action sequences, great cast. SO MANY nerdy details. I’m in tears at the end. Everything you want from a superhero film & more”
ComicBook.com’s Brandon Davis had high praise for the new DC movie, highlighting how well the “dynamic of two Barry Allen’s” was done:
“Damn, ‘The Flash’ is good! It’s super inventive both visually and in concept. The dynamic of two Barry Allen’s is crazy well done. Emotions hit me intensely hard, solid surprises, and it got me wanting to watch again and really eager to see how they follow it. Well done.”
Variety’s Scott Mantz sees The Flash as “one of the very best DC movies,” specifically highlighting Ezra Miller and Michael Keaton’s impressive performances:
“‘The Flash’ is awesome! One of the very best DC movies, a perfect blend of action, heart & humor! So many WOW & chill-inducing moments that longtime DC fans will love! EZRA MILLER is superb (twice, actually!) & MICHAEL KEATON’s still got it!”
Collider’s Steven Weintraub noted that Miller was “soooooo good in this movie,” giving props to director Andy Muschietti for making “something special:”
“‘The Flash’ is fantastic. I know Ezra Miller has made a lot of mistakes but they are soooooo good in this movie. Loved Keaton, the action, humor and emotion. Andy Muschietti has crafted something special. Thumbs way up. WB didn’t show the after the credits scenes.”
The Wrap’s Umberto Gonzalez ranked The Flash as “the GREATEST DC movie of the last 30 years” outside of Christopher Nolan’s Dark Knight trilogy, putting it alongside Christopher Reeves’ first Superman movie and Michael Keaton’s original Batman film:
“BELIEVE THE HYPE! Christopher Nolan movies aside, ‘The Flash’ is the GREATEST DC movie of the last 30 years that belongs in the same conversation as ‘SUPERMAN’ 78 and ‘BATMAN’ 89. The movie breaks incredible new ground in superhero cinema & honors DC lore of years past.”
Screen Rant’s Rob Keyes teased that fans will see “some stuff in [‘The Flash’] you will not believe,” hyping up the way it ties together the old DCEU with the new franchise starting soon:
“Just watched ‘The Flash’ at CinemaCon. It has some stuff in it you will not believe and it showcases much more of Barry Allen’s powers. It is indeed one of DC’s best and fits nicely as a bridge story between the old and new DCEU franchises. It’s also the funniest DC movie.”
SlashFilm’s Jenna Busch called The Flash “pretty great” and specifically noted how much she missed Michael Keaton’s Batman, which also came with high praise for Sasha Calle as Supergirl:
“‘The Flash’ is pretty great, and it makes sense to me now why DC didn’t shelve this one. Michael Keaton is … chef’s kiss. I didn’t realize how much I needed Keaton’s Batman in my life again. Some really emotional moments here. Sasha Calle is awesome – I want to see more of her!”
Next Best Pictures’ Daniel Howat praised The Flash for being “massively entertaining,” highlighting its use of the Multiverse and ranking it quite highly among the best superhero movies ever:
“‘The Flash’ is massively entertaining! Extraordinarily funny, but still has solid emotional stakes. It’s one of the better multiverse movies out there. Tons of fun surprises. A genuinely superb superhero movie – one of the best in a long time! Very, very satisfying.”
The Ankler’s Jeff Sneider had mixed feelings about the film, calling the first hour “pretty fantastic” while describing the last hour as “MOSTLY terrible:”
“‘THE FLASH:’ First hr is pretty fantastic. Strikes the perfect tone. Ezra is great. Heroic. Funny. Emotional. The last hr is MOSTLY terrible. Just an utter mess that’ll leave you asking, “what the HELL is going on?” Fan service & DC villain problem strike again. Mixed bag overall.”
Discussing Film’s Andrew Salazar gave props to Andy Muschietti for capturing the essence of what many wanted in a Flash movie, but also teased some “bizarre decisions” both in terms of story and technical aspects:
“‘The Flash’ manages to deliver glorious high thrills. Andy Muschietti captures what many of us have always dreamed for a cinematic Flash story. But there’s also plenty of just *bizarre* decisions. Some story related and others technical. Not amazing but still pretty good at times.
Salazar continued by teasing that general audiences will enjoy The Flash along with longtime DC fans:
“This is neither one of the best superhero movies of our time nor a total dumpster fire, which it easily could have been! My prediction: general audiences are totally going to enjoy this. Long time DC fans are going to walk away very happy too. It’s tailored for that experience.”
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